Common Pesticide Alters Bumblebee Genes, Threatening Future Pollination

A crop-protection chemical may affect bumblebees long before exposure becomes lethal. A 2026 study led by Georgia Institute of Technology researchers traced changes from gene activity inside bee tissues to reproduction, feeding and nest construction.

The findings concern sulfoxaflor, an insecticide used against sap-feeding pests. They do not prove that it will cause a pollination collapse, but they reveal disruptions that could weaken colonies if similar effects occur in agricultural environments.